Friday, October 16, 2026 | Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost | | A Note from Mtr. Brittany | | |
Dear People of St. Paul's,
As Fr. Steven reflected last week, rejoicing in hope is more than a feeling of optimism; it is a faithful response to place our trust in God. Rejoicing in hope is the belief that even when the evidence of our life circumstances or the state of the world should lead us to despair, we will still choose hope. As Christians, our lives should reverberate with the joyful acclamation that only hope in God can provide.
For over 135 years, the community of St. Paul’s has borne witness to what comes from those who rejoiced in hope. The founding members of our parish would be described by the apostle Paul as never lacking in zeal and patient in affliction. There were many trials and obstacles to establishing an Episcopal church in what was then a booming frontier town. However, they remained resolute in their decision to plant a church. From our beginnings, St. Paul’s has been committed to creating a place where people encounter Jesus Christ through Word and Sacrament, to offering education, and to serving as a faithful and positive presence in the wider community. This legacy would not have existed without folks who chose to rejoice in hope, in good times and in bad. They chose hope because they believed in the church’s mission and vision, and they hoped that mission would live on 100 years from now.
After all these years, St. Paul’s still holds those same core values and charisms that were established at our founding, and O, how they have grown. We continue to gather for weekly worship, we have established a Day School known for its standards of excellence, and we serve our community through our various food ministries and a free Youth Choir. We not only exist today because our forebears chose to rejoice in hope, but we are thriving.
Let us prayerfully consider how God may be leading us to support the mission of St. Paul’s through our pledge. The pledges that we make of time, talent, and treasure are not just a way to honor our rich past, support our present, and ensure our future, but are also a sign of our trust in God. We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we will continue to rejoice in the hope that St. Paul’s will remain a bastion of God’s unfailing love.
Mtr. Brittany
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We begin at 9:00 AM with:
Bible Study | Garden Room | Readings
Nursery | Birth–5 Years | Walnut Room
Sunday School | Toddlers–5th Grade | Third Floor
And continue at 10:00 AM with:
Worship | Nave | Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace - Samuel S. Wesley
- Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Independence
Children's Worship | Pre-School–2nd Grade | Walnut Room
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Find out more about what's happening at St. Paul's on our website.
To view the Sunday worship bulletin and join us for online worship, click here.
| | Full calendar is available on our website. | |
Oct. 16: Modigliani Quartet Concert | 7:00 PM | Info and Tickets
Oct. 18: Final Session: Our Story, Our Impact, Our Legacy | 11:30 AM–12:30 PM | Garden Room | Food Sign Up | Info Below
Oct. 25: Book Group | 11:30 AM | Archive Room | Info Below
Oct. 25: Fall Festival | After Service at St. Paul's | Info Below | Volunteer
Oct. 31: Deadline to Sign Up for Hosting A Progressive Dinner Group | Sign Up
Nov. 1: Pledge Ingathering | Rejoice in Hope | All-Parish Brunch After Service
Nov. 1: All Saints' Day
Nov. 6 - 7: Diocesan Youth Gathering | Grace and Holy Trinity | Info Below
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Oct. 18: Holy Eucharist | Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost | 10 AM | Nave
Oct. 21: Midweek Eucharist | 12:10 PM | Chapel | Saint Luke the Evangelist
Oct. 25: Holy Eucharist | Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost | 10 AM | Nave
Oct. 28: Midweek Eucharist | 12:10 PM | Chapel | Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles
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Our Story, Our Impact, Our Legacy
Sunday, 11:30 AM–12:30 PM | Garden Room
There's still time to join us! We held our first two sessions on October 4 and 11, and we'd love to have you with us for the final session.
Stories are an important part of the human experience and the Christian faith. They are the art by which we make existential and corporate meaning of our lives and preserve shared values for the generations to come. In this three-part interactive series led by Whitney Hosty and Jane Lampo, we'll explore and share our personal stories and the importance of preserving them for the next generation, using guided reflection and small group discussion to examine your life, recognize God's presence in it, and intentionally consider the legacy you want to leave behind.
October 4 — Session 1: The Power of Storytelling
October 11 — Session 2: The Thematic Thread of Grace
October 18 — Session 3: Beyond Us, Empowering the Next Generation
We are coordinating brunch for each session. Please sign up to bring a dish here!
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Progressive Dinner: Call for Hosts!
Our annual progressive dinner is a beloved tradition where the congregation gathers in small groups to share dinner across Kansas City, then reconvenes for dessert and Christmas carols together. This year’s event will take place on Sunday, December 6.
Though it may seem far off, planning starts now. We need a group of hosts to make it happen! Hosts can either welcome guests into their homes or organize an outing to a restaurant.
If you’re willing to host, there are just two steps:
RSVPs for participation (without hosting) will be available in the coming weeks.
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Fall Festival Coffee Hour is Oct. 25
After the service | Northwest Churchyard
Join us as we celebrate the arrival of fall together as a parish! There will be pumpkin painting, popcorn, a pop-a-shot basketball game, face painting and temporary tattoos, and a photo booth.
Bring your favorite fall coffee hour treats. This is a coffee hour, not a meal, so please stick to sweet or snack-style items (baked goods, fruit, cider donuts, and the like) rather than savory dishes such as chili or meats.
We need your help to run the event! Sign up for a shift here.
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2027 Online Pledge Process
Submitting a pledge and fulfilling a pledge are two separate steps. When you submit your 2027 online pledge card, you are telling St. Paul’s what you intend to give, but no money is withdrawn from your account at that point. Your pledge is fulfilled, then, when you make the gifts themselves.
The online pledge card makes that second step easy. After you submit your pledge, simply check the box at the bottom of the Thank You screen to set up a one-time or recurring gift through Realm, our preferred online giving portal.
Scheduling a recurring gift is one of the simplest ways to fulfill your pledge. It takes a task off your to-do list, and it helps St. Paul’s plan our budget and steadily fund the ministries that serve our parish and community.
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Quarterly Giving Statements
If you have given to the church between July 1 and September 30, you ought to have received a quarterly giving statement summary from Realm recently. Soon we'll be sending detailed giving statements including all gifts from January 1 through September 30. Please be on the lookout for these reports if you have given to St. Paul's this year!
Before we prepare end-of-year giving statements for your tax records, these statements serve as check-ins from us to you. They ensure that your gifts are correctly attributed, and that we have an opportunity to communicate and correct any errors before the end of the year. They are also a helpful way to see where your pledge payments currently stand. If you find you have fallen behind, we hope you will take the statement as a friendly reminder to catch up if you are able.
You may have noticed a change in what appears on your quarterly giving statement. Because the processing fees associated with online gifts are tax-deductible, these statements are now reporting the fees you have included with your gifts.
If you have any questions or concerns about your giving statement, please reach out to me at stpauls@stpaulskcmo.org. I am happy to help!
With gratitude for your contributions to our ministries,
Anna Hoard, Parish Administrator
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Diocesan Youth Gathering (D.Y.G.): November 6-7
Grades 5-12 | Fee: $25
Correction: St. Paul's is not hosting DYG. It will be held at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Youth in grades 5th – 12th across the diocese are invited to gather for this year’s Youth Gathering during Annual Convention at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City on November 6 and 7. This event will include an overnight stay and opportunities to serve at Convention in various ways.
A weekend designed to help youth dig deeper into faith, community, and creativity, the Diocesan Youth Gathering (D.Y.G.) offers a vibrant, welcoming space for youth to grow, reflect, and have fun together. Breakout sessions include prayer through art, living faith outside the church, music, meditation, games, and community service.
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Modigliani String Quartet Concert
October 16 | 7:00 PM | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
One of today’s most acclaimed string quartets returns to Kansas City. The Modigliani String Quartet presents a captivating program that connects past and present, featuring the U.S. premiere of Kryštof Mařatka’s evocative AMEDEA – visage de jeune fille, alongside landmark works by Debussy and Schumann.
Inspired by a portrait by Amedeo Modigliani, AMEDEA explores love, passion, memory, and the mystery of human presence. The program continues with Claude Debussy’s groundbreaking Quartet in G minor and concludes with Robert Schumann’s deeply expressive Quartet in A major, composed during his seminal chamber music year of 1842.
St. Paul’s members receive 25% off single tickets to the concert. Use code PAULS25 at checkout.
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Touching the Soul Book Group - October
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
Discussion: October 25
Leif Enger's debut, Peace Like a River, is a richly evocative novel, narrated by an asthmatic 11-year-old named Reuben Land. It is the story of Reuben's unusual family and their journey across the frozen Badlands of the Dakotas in search of his fugitive older brother. His brother, Davy, is charged with the murder of two locals who terrorized their family. Davy has fled, understanding that the scales of justice will not weigh in his favor. But Reuben, his father, Jeremiah—a man of faith so deep he has been known to produce miracles—and Reuben's little sister, Swede, follow closely behind the fleeing Davy.
Everyone is welcome! Come to the Archive Room on the third floor at 11:30 after coffee hour to join in the discussion. We will discuss the entire book on the 25th. If you'd like to personally receive updates and discussion questions in advance, please register by emailing Loretta Birkenmeier at lbirkenmeir@comcast.net. We hope to see you there!
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